SWTI 13

Chapter 13

I seemed to have stopped breathing for a moment in panic.

The sensation of fingertips brushing against my ear was vividly felt.

Somehow, at Shubel’s unusually calm demeanor, I unconsciously swallowed.

At that moment, a sound broke the silence between us.

“How do you find it, my lady? Isn’t this truly excellent wheat?”

At the Elbanon Trading Guild Master’s intervention, I hastily stepped back from Shubel.

The golden hair caught on his fingertips fluttered and fell.

“Yes, it is.”

Strangely unable to look at his face, I spoke while looking only at the guild master.

I felt a quiet gaze from behind me, but I pretended not to notice.

“Wheat is a staple food, isn’t it? Parents, family, our children! Since everyone eats it, we must pay even more attention to quality.”

Mistaking my reaction for praise, the Elbanon Trading Guild Master chattered away energetically by himself.

Though the sight was quite amusing, I played along appropriately with this foolish human lost in sweet dreams.

“So that’s why the Elbanon Trading Guild only deals with Hesen wheat.”

“What? Ah, yes. Of course! Our guild only handles southern Hesen wheat…”

“What you supplied to our Lunein was also 100% Hesen wheat, wasn’t it.”

I deliberately cut off his words.

Then the gazes of those who had been pretending not to listen to our conversation all turned this way.

Taking control from humans like the Elbanon Trading Guild Master isn’t difficult.

Since they’re overly conscious of others’ gazes and easily intoxicated by atmosphere, I can guide them to the result I want by flattering them appropriately.

The guild master’s eyes darted around at the suddenly focused attention.

Publicly revealing transaction details when there’s something fishy would be uncomfortable, but…

‘You can’t back down here, can you?’

Especially when you might record the highest sales ever with just a little more.

I raised the corners of my mouth.

He who had been reading the room laughed heartily, pretending to be bold. “Hahaha!”

“That’s right! Since our guild values trust and credibility above all, we only handle high-quality Hesen wheat. We even supply to the Duchy House!”

It’s over.

Thinking that, I turned my gaze away.

Now it was time for another character I had prepared to appear in this ridiculous play.

“Speaking of Hesen wheat, it’s the traditional wheat of the south with a long history…”

“Long history my ass… *hic*!”

Someone interrupted the Elbanon Trading Guild Master who was giving a speech trying to sell wheat by any means.

The guild master, who had been intoxicated by the atmosphere, made a displeased expression.

“Sir, what do you mean by that?”

“Uhaha, history… history… hmm…”

Glug glug glug. The drunkard poured liquor into his mouth.

Kheuh, he put down the bottle and staggered while wiping his mouth.

Then he straightened his swaying body and looked directly at the guild master, saying:

“You. Do you even know exactly what characteristics that wheat has before spouting off?”

From under his worn hat, cold eyes that were hard to believe belonged to a drunkard flashed.

The guild master hesitated at the suddenly changed atmosphere.

Unable to accept that he had been overwhelmed by such a drunk, he said with irritation:

“Hesen wheat is the most famous in the south…”

“South, south, south. You’re just like a parrot. Who doesn’t know it’s from the south? I’m asking if you know the proper background knowledge about what you’re selling.”

“…”

“Puhaha! Of course you don’t know! Since you don’t know, you’re just babbling whatever comes out of your mouth.”

The drunkard burst into wild laughter and threw the liquor bottle he was holding.

The young man nearby simply ducked his head to avoid the bottle.

“An idiot who doesn’t even know exactly what he’s selling calls himself a merchant.”

He muttered lowly.

The Elbanon Trading Guild Master’s face turned red and blue after being insulted to his face.

“Then who are you?!”

“Me?”

The drunkard tilted his head crookedly.

“The person who sold you this stuff.”

“What…”

“Some call me Tairontse, and some call me the owner of Albioh.”

Albioh.

At that single word, shock appeared in people’s eyes.

A hundred years since the Thousand-Year War ended. Massive capitalists transcending social status began to emerge, and the empire’s prosperity reached its peak.

And in this golden age, there existed four major trading guilds wielding financial power.

Central Seton, Southern Albioh, Eastern Lebian, Western Marcello.

Among them, the owner of the massive trading guild based in the south, famous for being the most prosperous in the empire’s vast territory.

Tairontse Albioh.

“Well, I prefer just being called uncle though.”

Saying that, he winked at me.

I snorted inwardly.

“70% of southern wheat exports go through Albioh. And this wheat you bought also came from our guild.”

The Elbanon Trading Guild Master, who had a ‘so what?’ expression, belatedly realized that the fact he purchased Hekail wheat could be exposed and turned pale.

“Nonsense! Our guild’s wheat isn’t from Albioh…”

“If you say you bought it elsewhere, that would be quite boring. Large-scale transactions like this must be reported to the imperial court. The records remain in Albioh’s ledgers too.”

“…You’re absolutely right, hahaha. No wait. More importantly, how can we believe you’re really the owner of Albioh?!”

Just as the guild master was about to cover up like a true swindler, thinking ‘Isn’t this guy a complete fraud?’

“I’ll vouch for that.”

The young man who had been standing silently behind Tairontse until then pushed up his glasses and stepped forward.

“Greetings, I’m Hailey Michelle, financial manager of the Imperial Treasury. You may call me whatever you like, but please don’t call me financial manager. I’ll be resigning soon.”

Who is a merchant’s enemy? Naturally, it’s the Imperial Treasury that sends auditors quarterly.

And to merchants, the financial managers there can all be seen as tax-collecting demons.

The faces of all the merchants present became haggard. Especially the Elbanon Trading Guild Master turned completely pale.

The man who showed his Treasury identification badge opened his mouth dryly.

“I received a report that the Elbanon Trading Guild Master falsely underreported the guild’s finances.”

“Wh-what do you mean…? I never did such a thing!”

“We’ll find out once we conduct the audit. …Shall we begin then, informant?”

“Yes.”

I answered lightly.

Normally they would protect the informant’s identity anonymously, but I didn’t particularly need that, so I asked them to proceed publicly.

Thanks to that, the Elbanon Trading Guild Master’s eyes rolled back in shock.

“Informant, you’re the informant?!”

When I looked at him with a ‘so what?’ expression, he foamed at the mouth.

“This little bitch…!”

The pig acted as if he would charge at any moment.

I was inwardly wondering if I should change Kaiseus into a magic gun when a cold voice came from above my head.

“That mouth.”

Someone blocked my front.

“Shut it.”

I looked up at Shubel with a slightly surprised face.

It was the first time since getting to know him that I saw such an expression—one that made my blood run cold just by looking at it.

‘So he can make that kind of expression too.’

I watched with a somewhat curious feeling, and when he noticed my gaze, he hesitated and his face became visibly flustered.

Shubel made the most pitiful expression possible.

“…I’ll stay quiet. Please don’t chase me away, my lady.”

“I didn’t say anything.”

While we were doing that, the Elbanon Trading Guild Master, who had been hesitating as if overwhelmed by Shubel’s presence, seemed to lack the courage to look this way and now shouted toward Haily instead.

“I made a legitimate report!”

“I’m not sure if it’s legitimate, but you did make a report. There are some major discrepancies, so I’ll need to verify them.”

As she said this, Haily fluttered through the ledger copy I had given her.

The Elbanon Trading Guild Master’s eyes widened as if they might pop out.

“Why is that there….”

“Did you forget? You gave it to me directly, Guild Master.”

I spoke calmly.

The Guild Master struggled desperately.

“Don’t lie! When did I ever give you that!”

Living among high society where rhetoric becomes a weapon and among merchants who are like con artists, one naturally improves at acting.

‘To complete a play, I naturally have to become an actor too.’

Finally, all the important figures had taken the stage, so it was my turn to step forward.

I hid my devilish smile and opened my mouth.